Admission to Albion

Application for First-Year Admission

Admission to Albion College is selective and based on a review of the applicant's academic credentials, personal qualifications, and potential for success at the College. Albion admits students without regard to race, ethnicity, creed or national origin.

The Admissions Committee reviews applications on an individual basis, paying particular attention to the unique qualities each candidate possesses. The committee considers the following factors in evaluating an applicant's credentials: rigor of curriculum pursued, grades, co-curricular involvement in high school, community and religious activities, letters of recommendation received, and results of the ACT or SAT college admission tests.

Candidates for admission are expected to be graduates of an accredited high school or preparatory school and have at least 15 units of academic credit in the following subjects: English, mathematics, social science, science or foreign language. Albion College also welcomes students who have been home schooled or who have earned a General Education Diploma (GED). In both cases, students should contact the vice president for enrollment to develop a process to review non-traditional academic experiences and competencies.

Students may submit an application for admission at any time. Normally, however, students apply after September 1 of their senior year in high school. In order to receive equal consideration for admission and financial aid, students should apply and have all required credentials on file by March 1 of their senior year.

Each application form must be accompanied by a fee of $20. This is a processing fee which is non-refundable and is not credited on any subsequent payments to the College. Students who submit the application on the College's Web site are not charged a fee.

Applicants seeking fall admission must pay a $300 enrollment deposit to the College postmarked no later than May 1 to secure their place in the fall class.

Applicants seeking spring admission should submit their $300 deposit before December 15.

Early Application

Albion welcomes students to apply early to secure a place in the fall class, and to ensure full consideration for academic and special talent scholarships. Students who apply by December 1 will be notified of an admission decision by January 1. The early application process is non-binding, and designed for students who truly desire to join the Albion College student body. All students who apply after December 1 will be considered on a rolling basis, and will be notified of an admission decision beginning February 1 until the class is filled.

Entrance Tests

Standardized entrance tests are required of most applicants under normal circumstances. ACT or SAT tests are optional for students whose academic credentials and/or class ranking are superior, or for students with specific learning challenges where a standardized test would not be an accurate measure of the potential for success in college. Please contact the vice president for enrollment for more information. Applicants who plan to take these tests should do so no later than January of the senior year. Albion College's code number is 1007 for the SAT and 1956 for the ACT. Information about the SAT may be obtained from the College Board at www.collegeboard.org. Information about the ACT may be obtained at www.act.org.

Campus Visit

A visit to the campus and a personal interview are highly recommended. As a service to campus visitors, guided tours of the campus are provided. The admissions staff will also arrange visits with faculty members or with specific academic departments. We appreciate knowing your plans two weeks in advance so we may better accommodate you when you arrive on campus.

The Admissions Office is open on weekdays from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. It is also open most Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to noon except during the summer.

Specific information pertaining to the curriculum, the faculty or admission to Albion College may be obtained from:

Advanced Placement and CLEP

Albion College is a participant in the Advanced Placement Program of the College Entrance Examination Board (CEEB). Under this program, a high school student who earns a grade of 4 or 5 on an Advanced Placement Examination automatically receives college credit and may receive advanced placement in the area of his or her proficiency.

A student who receives a grade of 3 may be given advanced placement, and at the discretion of the department, the student may be given college credit as well.

Some College departments also participate in the College-Level Subject Examination Program (CLEP) of CEEB. Albion College permits students to obtain a maximum of eight units of credit toward the bachelor of arts, and to fulfill core and/or major requirements through CLEP. Students should contact the Registrar's Office for information on which departments accept CLEP credit.

Maximum Credit Available Through Examination -- No more than eight units of credit can be obtained through any combination of locally designed departmental examinations and the College-Level Examination Program. No more than 12 units of credit can be obtained through any combination of the Advanced Placement Examination, locally designed departmental examinations, and the College-Level Examination Program.

Immediate Sophomore Standing -- An entering student who presents six or more units obtained through the Advanced Placement Examination, locally designed departmental examinations, and/or the College-Level Examination Program will obtain immediate sophomore standing.

Special Admissions

Transfer Students

Each year Albion accepts students who have attended other colleges or universities. It is recommended that candidates possess at least a 2.5 grade point average for consideration. It is expected that the applicant will be in good academic and personal standing at the college last attended and that the previous college record has been strong enough to compare favorably with students already in attendance at Albion. Students are responsible for submitting, with their application, official transcripts from all institutions previously attended.

Students with an official transcript marked "MACRAO approved" for an associate of arts (A.A.) degree from a Michigan community or junior college are exempt from taking the First-Year Seminar and the Modes of Inquiry requirement, and they may be admitted at the junior level. However, the following graduation requirements must be met: the category requirements and the writing competence requirement. A maximum of 16 units (64 semester hours) may be transferred from accredited junior colleges.

Candidates who transfer from an accredited four-year college must complete no less than the last 12 units (48 semester hours) in residence at Albion. These students must also complete all degree requirements including the category requirements and the writing competence requirement.

For more specific details regarding Albion's unit system and required course grades, refer to the Academic Regulations section of this catalog.

International Students

Albion College welcomes applications from students from other countries. International students are offered the full range of academic programs, housing choices and student services available to all Albion College students. In addition, the College provides many support services specifically for international students including: airport transportation, a comprehensive orientation program, academic and personal counseling, immigration regulations advising, trips to local cultural sites, and host family and community programs.

To be considered for admission to Albion, an international student must complete an application packet that includes the following:

Certified copies of all secondary or university academic records, plus English translations where necessary. Because academic preparation in some countries is of a more advanced nature than that offered in an American high school, Albion College may award advanced standing to students who demonstrate such preparation in their academic credentials.

Official results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). The College requires a minimum score of 550 (paper-based) or 213 (computer-based) on the TOEFL; students with scores below these minimums may qualify for conditional admission, pending completion of appropriate English language training. The International Admissions Office may be contacted for information on English as a Second Language (ESL) programs that can provide intensive ESL training for college-bound students.

An autobiographical statement, including academic and working background and educational and career goals.

The College has a rolling admissions policy for international students, which means that completed applications will be reviewed and action taken at any time during the year. However, if a student is applying for financial aid or a scholarship, the deadline for application is February 1. Because competition is keen for places at Albion College and delays in overseas mailings may occur, it is advisable for international students to apply early.

Financial Aid -- American students at Albion College pay anywhere from half of the cost of their education up to the full cost. International students should consider an Albion education an investment the student, family and sponsors are willing to make. Albion College does not provide international students with full financial support, but does offer competitive academic scholarships of up to $14,500 per year for students with exceptional academic and co-curricular achievements. Scholarship levels are determined by the vice president for enrollment.

For further information about international student admission requirements, or for an international student application packet, please contact:

International Baccalaureate -- The College recognizes the strength and rigor of the International Baccalaureate Program. Students will receive one unit (four semester hours) of credit for higher level passes with a score of 5 or more. Scores of 4 will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Normally, no more than four units (16 hours) of credit from this program will be awarded to an individual. Students must petition a department or the faculty Petitions Committee for exceptions to these limits.

Other Candidates

Veterans -- Veterans returning from military service and other eligible military personnel are admitted to Albion College under the training provisions established by the Veterans Administration. The College may allow credit for military service activities which have educational content to students who present acceptable military records. Such credentials should be submitted as part of the admission materials.

ConApp -- Albion College is a participating college in the United States Army Concurrent Application Program (ConApp) and welcomes applications from prospective students who wish to continue their education after active duty military service. Interested students should contact the Albion College Admissions Office or their Army recruiter for information on the ConApp program and related veteran's benefits for higher education. Albion guarantees admission to qualified ConApp applicants after military service.

Auditors -- A non-degree student may enroll as an official auditor. This obligates a student to attend classes and complete course requirements (papers, laboratory assignments, tests, and a final examination). The course appears on the transcript and the grade is posted, but no degree credit is earned.

Guest Students -- Albion College accepts a number of guest students. All guest students must be in good academic standing at their home institution. Guest students assume responsibility for determining whether the course they take at Albion will apply to their program of study.